Combination switch and relay



June 29, 1965 R. c. CARLSON COMBINATION SWITCH AND RELAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 18, 1962 m W mm W m A J I U f w F k M W 0 m in w w 1 h I, [h .1 F Q. m 5 2 June 1965 R. c. CARLSON 3, 9 ,339

COMBINATION SWITCH AND RELAY Filed 001;. 18, 1962 2- Sheets-Sheet 2 32 3s 4 Y1 f M F STEREO TUNER DEMULT'PLEXE AMPLIFIER v 3 c I is W35 INVENTOR. Reuben 6' Car/sari ATT).

United States Patent 3,192,339 COMBINATION SWITCH AND RELAY Reuben C. Carlson, Bensenville, Ill., assignor to Admiral Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 231,460 8 Claims. (Cl. 200- 87) This invention relates to frequency modulation stereo de-multiplexing equipmentand in particular to means for tuning such equipment to a frequency modulated stereo signal.

Various techniques have been employed in the past to indicate when .a frequency modulated stereo multiplex signal is being received, for example, see copending application Serial Number 207,663, filed July 5, 1962, now US. Patent No. 3,116,372 by Robert A. Wolff. In that application, a lamp lights when a stereo channel is found. That technique, however, requires the listener to manually operate the station tuning control while at the same time watching for the lamp to light. This is time consuming and requires the constant attention of the listener during tuning.

R is therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide a conventional mon-aura-l and a stereophonic receive-r with a simple and economical device which automatically tunes the receiver to a stereo multiplex broadcast signal.

It is a further object to provide a novel relay for use in a signal seeking system which is responsive to a predetermined signal.

Briefly, the embodiment of the invention described herein comprises a conventional frequency modulation monaural and stereophonic receiver to which is added a selector circuit including a relay operable upon receipt of a stereo broadcast. A manual lever protrudes through the front of the receiver, and momentary movement of this lever in either direction starts a bidirectional motor which tunes the receiver across the FM band. When a stereo signal is received, the relay operates, allowing the manual lever to return to normal, and stopping the bidirectional motor. When .the bidirectional motor stops, the receiver is tuned to a stereo broadcast.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a relay of the type employed in this invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the relay of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2 with the relay unactua-ted and the manual lever moved to an extreme position.

FIG. 4 is the same as FIG. 3 except the relay is actuated and the manual lever is in its center position.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a receiving system capable of receiving and detecting an FM stereo sign-a1. Also 7 shown is the selector circuit including the bidirectional motor and the relay.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a modified version of the relay.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along lines 88 of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of a receiving system for receiving and detecting an FM stereo signal. An antenna 31 couples a received broadcast signal from an FMtransmitting station to tuner 30 where in a well known manner, the selected station carrier is heterodyned with a locally generated oscillator signal to produce an intermedite frequency signal which is amplified and detected. FM tuner 31), in response to receipt of a monaural transmission, produces an audio frequency men-aural signal. Responsive to receipt of an FM stereophonic signal, conforming to the recently adopted Federal Communications Commission standards, tuner 39 produces an audio summation signal, sidebands ice and an audio diiferencesignal and a 19 .kc. pilot signal. FM tuner 30 preferably includes an audio frequency control AFC circuit for controlling the frequency of the local oscillator, thus locking the tuner to the selected broadcast signal frequency. The AFC circuit obviates the necessity for precise tuning on the operators part.

The output of tuner 30 is coupled to a demultiplexer 32 which may include, for example, an emplifier, means for separating the pilot signal, a frequency doubler for reproducing the 38 kc. subcarrier, and a stereo detector. The separated pilot signal is coupled to the frequency doubler which reproduces the original 38 kc. subcarrier. The regenerated 38 kc. wave is combined with the audio summation signal and the side bands of the audio difference signal to reproduce the original composite modulation wave. This wave is coupled to the stereo detector where it is detected. For a complete description of this process see the copending application of Leonard Dietch, Serial No. 194,601 now U.-S. Patent No. 3,154,641. The stereo detector has two outputs coupled to stereo amplifier 33 where the detected left and right signals are amplified in a well known manner and utilized to drive a pair of stereo speakers 34 and 35.

The frequency doubler is also coupled to stereoselector circuit 36. Upon receipt of a 38- kc. sub-carrier, transistor 39 is biased conductive through its emitter-base circuit, which gives rise to current flow from ground through the emitter and collector of transistor 39, through relay 4 0 to B-, to operate relay 40.

As seen in FIGS. 1-4, the armature 20 of relay 40 has a friction member 13 of electrical insulating material secured thereto. Base member 14 is secured to coil 12 and serves as a mounting for the pressure plate 17 and a manual pivot member 10. Pressure plate 17 is of electrical insulating material with contact members 18 and 19 (which extend to terminals 32 and 33 respectively as shown in FIG. 3) secured to its lower surface. Pressure plate 17 is mounted on base member 14 by means of bolts 39 and spacers 38. Post 16 is secured to base 14 and serves as a pivot point for pivot member 10. It is seen in FIG. 2 that pivot member 10 has flat member 22 secured thereto. Fla-t member 22 has a contact 25 at One end and a leaf spring 15 secured to its other end.

Leaf spring 15 is secured both mechanically and electrically to the end of fiat member 22, and is formed so as to urge pivot member 10 to its center position i.e., so that contact 25 rests against portion 26 of pressure plate 17. The free end of leaf spring 15 rests in slot 23 in plate 17, slot 23 serving :as an anchor for that portion of spring 15. Lead 24 connects leaf spring 15 to terminal 31.

The outer end of pivot member 10 protrudes through panel 21 of the stereo receiver so that it may be manually moved to either a first position P1 (where movable contact 25 engages contact member 18) or a second position P2 (where movable contact 25 engages contact member 19) from a center position X (where movable contact 25 rests on portion 26 of pressure plate 17). .It will be appreciated that other means may readily be employed to move pivot member 10, such as push buttons for example.

An FM stereo receiver equipped with the signal seelo ing arrangement of the present invention may be tuned to a stereo station by moving lever 10 to position P1 or P2. Lever 10 is held in either position by the combined action of pressure plate 17 and friction member 13. As seen in FIG. .5, this closes a circuit from one side of the volt A.C. source through terminal 1 (terminal 31 in FIGS. 1-4 and terminal 131 in FIG. 6) and then through connecting line 5 (corresponding to flat member 22 on pivot arm 10 of FIGS. 1-4) to contact 4 a. (corresponding to movable contact 25 of FIGS. 1-4). Correlating FIG. 5 with FIGS. 1-4, it is seen that if pivot arm 19 is momentarily pushed to position P1, contact 25 engages contact member 19 (which is extended to terminal 33) to close a circuit to rotate motor 41 in one direction. If pivot arm is momentarily pushed to position P2, contact engages contact 18 (which is extended to terminal 32) to close a circuit to rotate motor 41 in the other direction.

It should be noted that during the aforementioned operation relay 44) remains inoperative. As previously explained, armature 20 of relay 40 has a friction plate 13 secured thereto. Thus, as long as relay 40 remains unactuated, armature 20 remains slightly away from coil 12. When armature is in this position, friction plate 13 is pressed against the outer end of pivot member 10. Pressure plate 17 is mounted immediately above pivot member 10 so that while relay 40 remains unactuated the outer end of pivot member 10 is in turn pressed against pressure plate 17, holding pivot member 10 stationary.

As mentioned above, pivot member 10 will remain in position P1 or P2 as long as relay 40 remains unoperated by reason of the previously mentioned friction arrangement between pivot member 1t and friction member 13. Motor 41 drives the tuning means (not shown) in FM tuner by means of a gear train (not shown). As the tuner is tuned across the band, relay remains unactuated until a stereo multiplex signal is received. As previously described, when a stereo multiplex signal is received, the 38 kc. regenerated signal drives transistor 39 conductive, causing relay 40 to operate. When relay 40 operates, pivot member 10 is released from its frictional engagement with friction member 13 and pressure plate 17. Leaf spring 15 urges pivot member 10 to position X, moving contact 25 away from contact member 18 or 19 to open circuit to bidirectional motor 41, thus stopping the tuning means. The tuner is now tuned to a stereo station, that is to say, the receiver is tuned to a station transmitting stereo multiplex signals. The AFC circuit has a wide enough pull in range to insure that the tuner is properly tuned.

An automatic trip arrangement (not shown) at each limit of the tuning means travel automatically reverses the direction of rotation of motor 41.

It should be apparent that there is a great variety of structural designs for electrically connecting a pivot contact such as contact 25 to a stationary terminal such as terminal 32. For example, see the modification shown in FIGS. 6-8 where a flat member 122 having contact 125 is pivoted on post 116. In this modification, metal bracket 180 electrically connects member 122 with terminal 132. Add 100. to each of the identification numbers of the elements in FIGS. 1-4 to arrive at comparable elements in FIGS. 6-8.

It should also be apparent that the contacts 18 and 19 need not be on pressure plate 17, but may equally as well be on member 13-for example see FIGS. 6-8 where contacts 118 and 119 are secured to member 113 with leads 190 and 191 connected to terminals 132 and 133, respectively.

Furthermore, lever 10 may be one solid member which extends from pressure plate 17 to the outside of front panel 21 (as seen in FIG. 2) or it may be composed of two members in a double-toggle arrangement such as shown in FIG. 6 where member 100 carries the contacts and member 80 protrudes through the front panel 21 of the set.

Coil spring 170 in FIGS. 6 and 8 is located so that it urges member 100 and member 80 to a position comparable to position X in FIG. 2. Spring 170 thus has a similar function as spring 15 in FIGS. 1-4.

While the invention has been described with reference to a particular environment, other applications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. The invention, therefore, should not be limited to the particular arrangement shown and described, but should be understood to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of the claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A combination switch and relay comprising; base means; a movable member movably mounted on said base means and having a rest position and'an alternate position; urging means coupled to said movable member, said movable member when out of its rest position being urged towards said rest position by said urging means; a coil secured to said base means; an armature having an unactuated and an actuated position; and means restraining said movable member only when said armature is in its unactuated position; whereby when said armature is in its actuated position, responsive to energizing of said coil, said urging means urges said movable memher into said rest position.

2. A combination switch and relay comprising;'a n armature having an actuated position and a rest position; a coil; base means secured to said coil; a pivot member having a first position and a second position, said pivot member being pivotally secured to said base means, one end of said pivot member being adjacent to said armature; urging means secured to said armature such that said armature frictionally restrains said pivot member when said armature is in its rest position; and resilient means coupled to said pivot member urging said pivot member towards said first position; whereby when said armature is in its actuated position, responsive to energizing of said coil, the normal force acting upon said pivot member is decreased, and said resilient means urges said pivot member into said first position.

3. A combination switch and relay comprising; an armature having an actuated position and a rest position; a coil; base means secured to said coil; a pressure plate secured to said base means adjacent to said armature; a pivot member having a first position and a second position, said pivot member being pivotally secured to said base means, one end of said pivot member being interposed between said armature and said pressure plate; urgin g means secured to said armature such that said armature frictionally restnains said pivot member between said armature and said pressure plate when said armature is in its rest position; and resilient means coupled to said pivot member urging said pivot member towards said first position; whereby when said armature is in its actuated position, responsive to energizing of said coil, the normal force acting upon said pivot member is decreased, and said resilient means urges said pivot member into said first position.

4. A combination switch and relay as claimed in claim 3, wherein said pivot member has a first position and a plurality of secondary positions and wherein when said armature is in its actuated position, responsive to energizing of said coil, the normal force acting upon said pivot member is decreased, and said resilient means urges said pivot member into said first position from any of said secondary positions.

5. A combination switch and relay comprising; an armature having an actuated position and a rest position, said armature having an electrical contact surfacethereon connected to a first terminal; a coil; base means secured to said coil; a pressure plate secured to said base means adjacent to said armature; a pivot member having a first position and a second position, said pivot member being pivotally secured to said base means, said pivot member having a contact wiper at one end, said one end being interposed between said armature and said pressure plate such that when said pivot member is in said second position, said electrical contact surface is adjacent to said contact wiper; first resilient means secured to said base means and said armature, said armature frictionally restraining said pivot member between said armature and said pressure plate when said armature is in its rest position; electrically conducting resilient means coupled to said pivot member urging said pivot members towards said first position, said contact wiper being in electrical contact with said electrically conducting resilient means, said electrically conducting resilient means being connected to a second terminal; whereby, when said pivot member is pivoted to said second position, said armature being in its rest position, a conducting path is formed through said second terminal, said electrically conducting resilient means, said contact wiper, said electrical contact surface, and said first terminal, and when said armature is in its actuated position, responsive to energizing of said coil, the normal force acting upon said pivot member is decreased, and said electrically conducting resilient means urges said pivot member into said first position, thereby breaking said conducting path.

6. A combination switch and relay as claimed in claim 5, wherein said armature has a plurality of electrical contact surfaces thereon each connected to respective first terminals and wherein said pivot member has a first position and a plurality of secondary positions, said contact wiper being adjacent to one of said electrical contact surfaces in each of said secondary positions, and wherein when said pivot member is pivoted to any one of said secondary positions, said armature being in its rest position, a conducting path is formed through said second terminal, said electrically conducting resilient means, said contact wiper, said one electrical contact surface, and said respective first terminal.

'7. A combination switch and relay comprising; an armature having an actuated position and a rest position; a coil; base means secured to said coil; a pressure plate secured to said base means adjacent to said armature, said pressure plate having an electrical contact surface thereon connected to a first terminal; a pivot member having a first position and a second position, said pivot member being pivotally secured to said base means, said pivot member having a contact Wiper at one end, said one end being interposed between said armature and said pressure plate such that when said pivot member is in said second position said electrical contact surface is adjacent to said contact wiper; first resilient means secured to said base and said armature such that said armature frictionally restrains said pivot member between said armature and said pressure plate when said armature is in its rest position; electrically conducting resilient means coupled to said pivot member urging said pivot member towards said first position, said contact wiper being in electrical contact with said electrically conducting resilient means, said electrically conducting resilient means being connected to a second terminal; whereby when said pivot member is pivoted to said second position, said armature being in its rest position, a conducting path is formed through said second terminal, said electrically conducting resilient means, said contact wiper, said electrical contact surface, and said first terminal, and when said armature is in its actuated position, responsive to energizing of said coil, the normal force acting upon said pivot member is decreased, and said electrically conducting resilient means urges said pivot member into said first position, thereby breaking said conducting path.

8. A combination switch and relay as claimed in claim 7, wherein said pressure plate has a plurality of electrical contact surfaces thereon each connected to respective first erminals and wherein said pivot member has a first position and a plurality of secondary positions, said contact. wiper being adjacent to one of said electrical contact surfaces in each of said secondary positions, and wherein when said pivotal member is pivoted to any one of said secondary positions, said armature being in its rest position, a conducting path is formed through said second terminal, said electrically conducting resilient means, said contact wiper, said one electrical contact surface, and said respective first terminal.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/42 Andrews 334-24 X l/54 OBrien 32547O OTHER REFERENCES Mergner: Product Detector for MF-Stereo, Audio, Aug. 1961, pp. 23-25 and 102. 

1. A COMBINATION SWITCH AND RELAY COMPRISING; BASE MEANS; A MOVABLE MEMBER MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BASE MEANS AND HAVING A REST POSITION AND AN ALTERNATE POSITION; URGING MEANS COUPLED TO SAID MOVABLE MEMBER, SAID MOVABLE MEMBER WHEN OUT OF ITS REST POSITION BEING URGED TOWARDS SAID REST POSITION BY SAID URGING MEANS; A COIL SECURED TO SAID BASE MEANS; AN ARMATURE HAVING AN UNACTUATED AND AN ACTUATED POSITION; AND MEANS RESTRAINING SAID MOVABLE MEMBER ONLY WHEN SAID ARMATURE IS IN ITS UNACTUATED POSITION; WHEREBY WHEN SAID ARMATURE IS IN ITS ACTUATED POSITION, RESPONSIVE TO ENERGIZING OF SAID COIL, SAID URGING MEANS URGES SAID MOVABLE MEMBER INTO SAID REST POSITION. 